Tangy Mandarin Meringue Pie

I came home to an amazing surprise today! I had been working all day and was looking forward to changing into my trackies and uggs and settling onto the couch for the evening. I was feeling like an easy night in, when my gorgeous man comes running out to my car to inform me of the surprise that awaited me inside. My first hint of what might be to come was a delicious pastry smell that was wafting out the door, so I followed my nose and was delighted to find a lemon meringue pie! Only it wasn’t lemon but mandarin!

We have been having a lovely time munching our way through our big bag of mandarins. We have made Mandarin Curd, and we have been dreaming of scones and pancakes and tarts. I am thrilled with the way that mandarin has been substituted into some of my everyday favourite items, and this pie has been no exclusion.

The photos of the pie are not the best, we were too busy trying to eat it all to slow down for the photo shoot, you will understand why when you try this out!

The mandarin made the recipe light and fruity, and it was a delicious twist on an old family favourite. (This is the first time we have gotten our hands on my husbands secret Lemon Meringue Pie recipe!). The curd is lovely and tangy without being too tart or sweet. The crust is lovely and golden and the meringue is light and fluffy.

Mandarin Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 250g plain flour

• 35g (1/4c) icing sugar

• 150g coarsely chopped butter

• 1 teaspoon finely grated Mandarin zest

• 1 egg yolk

• 1-2 teaspoons cold water (as necessary)

For the curd:

• 75g (1/2c) cornflour

• 280g (1 1/4c) caster sugar

• juice and (remaining) zest from 6 mandarins

• 1/2c water

• 60g butter

• 4 egg yolks

For the Meringue:

• 5 egg whites

• 1/2c caster sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon creme of tartar

Method:

Pastry

Preheat oven to 180’C. Grease a large pie dish and set aside.

Process flour, icing sugar, zest and butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 

Add yolk and 1 tablespoon of the water and continue mixing until the mixture begins to form into a ball.  Add extra water sparingly if required.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured bench and knead dough until a smooth, slightly glossy texture is reached.  Shape into a flat disc, wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 30 mins.

Roll pastry out to an even disc approximately 3mm thick. Press the pastry into a greased pie dish. Trim the excess pastry from the edges, cover with baking paper and fill with baking beads (rice or lentils work too). Bake in a preheated oven for 15 mins.

Remove paper and beads then return to oven for a further 5 minutes  or until the pastry is a light golden brown colour all over the base.  Allow to cool.

Filling

Place cornflour in a medium saucepan and gradually mix in juice and water, until the cornflour forms a smooth paste. 

Combine the remaining juice/water as well as the sugar and zest and place on a medium heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture begins to thicken and then constantly until all the liquid has become a smooth gel.

Remove the mixture from the heat, then add butter and yolks and quickly whisk through. Stand aside to cool.

Meringue

Place egg whites in bowl of electric mixer. Mix at high speed until soft peaks begin to form then gradually add sugar and cream of tartar.  Mixture is ready when a spoonful of mixture can be turned upside down without falling.

Assembly

Fill pie crust with filling, then top with meringue.  Bake for approximately 5 mins, or until meringue tips have a soft brown colour.